Coffee culture

China Coffee Bean Import Data_China Coffee Bean Market Forecast_Where to Buy Coffee Beans in Guangzhou

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style). 2020 China's coffee bean imports are expected to reach 124,000 tons. 1) China's coffee market is experiencing rapid growth. Imported coffee beans mainly come in four types: unroasted coffee beans with caffeine not removed, unroasted coffee beans with caffeine removed, unroasted coffee with caffeine removed in various forms, and roasted coffee beans. The market forecast shows continued expansion in demand for specialty coffee beans across major Chinese cities including Guangzhou, where professional coffee suppliers offer premium coffee bean selections for discerning customers.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

China's Coffee Bean Imports Expected to Reach 124,000 Tons by 2020

China's coffee market is experiencing rapid growth.

Imported coffee beans mainly consist of four types: unroasted, non-decaffeinated coffee; unroasted, decaffeinated coffee; roasted, non-decaffeinated coffee; and roasted, decaffeinated coffee. Among these, green beans (unroasted, non-decaffeinated coffee) account for 93.3% of the entire domestic import market, with Vietnam being the largest importing country among emerging coffee-producing nations. According to analysis by market research institution QYR, China's coffee bean imports are expected to reach 124,000 tons by 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 9.6% in coffee bean import value from 2014 to 2020.

According to relevant Chinese laws and regulations, coffee beans and their peripheral products (except sugar) are considered free trade goods. Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou are the three largest concentration areas for coffee traders and distribution hubs. Coffee bean importers primarily operate four types of businesses: coffee bean processing, wholesale, and sales; sales, training, and services for coffee equipment; sales of coffee powder, coffee sugar, and creamers; and providing comprehensive support to café operators. Currently, coffee bean importers in China mainly adopt the following sales models: establishing distribution systems, direct sales, and agency sales. Sales channels may take various multi-level forms (generally two levels in the domestic market), including direct sales from importers to cafés and hotels, direct sales from first-level distributors to cafés, and direct sales from second-level distributors to consumers.

Currently, in China's entire coffee bean industry chain, importing green beans (especially Vietnamese green beans) offers greater competitiveness, with profit margins for coffee sales intermediaries being quite high. The gross profit margins for regional distributors and wholesalers range between 20% and 30%. If importers adopt direct sales methods, their gross profit margins are even higher.

In terms of competitive strategy, in a market environment where blended coffee is the main product in the vast majority of end-consumer venues, including Starbucks, most importers pursue a low-end approach, primarily sourcing beans from Southeast Asia and roasting non-single-origin blended coffee. Some importers, such as Shanghai Dehui Food Co., Ltd., position their products in the high-end market targeting expatriates, senior business professionals in hotels, returnees, and coffee enthusiasts.

Recommended Domestic Coffee Bean Brands

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted domestic coffee beans - Yunnan Typica - offer excellent guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they provide exceptional value for money, with each 227-gram package priced at around 69 RMB. Calculating at 15 grams of coffee beans per cup, one package can make 15 cups, with each cup costing only about 5 RMB. Compared to café prices that often run tens of yuan per cup, this represents a conscientious recommendation.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services: https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473

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